LIBRARIES WITHOUT BORDERS

LOZA VIVE! - LOIZA, PUERTO RICO IS THE CENTER OF AFRO-PUERTO RICAN LIFE AND ONE OF THE POOREST COMMUNITIES ON THE ISLAND. WITH LOW LEVELS OF DIGITAL LITERACY AMONGST RESIDENTS AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE COMMUNITY RESULTING FROM GENTRIFICATION, HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF AFRO-PUERTO RICAN HERITAGE ARE AT RISK OF BEING LOST. THEREFORE, LWB IS PARTNERING WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS, ACADEMIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO CREATE A NETWORK OF SIX DIGITAL ARCHIVES ACROSS LOIZA. LWB IS WORKING WITH RESIDENTS TO TEACH DIGITAL AND CULTURAL ARCHIVING SKILLS AS WELL AS ORAL AND VIDEO STORYTELLING. LWB IS ALSO FACILITATING A SERIES OF TRAINING WORKSHOPS TO EQUIP COMMUNITY LEADERS WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY RECOGNIZE, DOCUMENT, AND RECORD THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE.

LIBRARY OUTREACH - CONNECTICUT STATE LIBRARY: IN 2024, LWB COLLABORATED WITH THE CONNECTICUT STATE LIBRARY TO HOST A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS ON THE TOPIC OF REIMAGINING LIBRARY OUTREACH AND ACCESS. THIS INCLUDED TWELVE TOTAL SESSIONS COVERING TEN DIFFERENT TOPICS OVER THE COURSE OF NINE MONTHS. THE TRAININGS PROVIDED LIBRARY STAFF FROM AROUND THE STATE WITH STRATEGIES, TOOLS, AND FRAMEWORKS TO EXPAND THEIR REACH AND IMPACT WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. USING THEIR OWN LIBRARY AND LOCAL DATA, PARTICIPANTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE BARRIERS TO ACCESS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND REIMAGINE THEIR OUTREACH STRATEGY UTILIZING THEIR EXISTING ASSETS. FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY: IN 2024, LWB PARTNERED WITH FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY TO CONDUCT LOCAL AND NATIONAL RESEARCH ON BEST PRACTICES TO EXPAND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR BOOKMOBILE AND EXPLORE OPTIONS TO IMPLEMENT COURIER SERVICES. SCHOOL-LIBRARY PARTNERSHIPS: IN 2024, LWB LAUNCHED A NATIONAL INITIATIVE, COLLABORATING WITH PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE U. S. TO EXPAND LIBRARY USAGE FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND FAMILIES. IN EACH PARTNERSHIP, LWB IS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC BARRIERS PREVENTING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FROM USING LIBRARY RESOURCES.